168 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCIIITECrs JOURNAL. 



LJ UNE, 



lietore the plucr oan he removed, and tn be turned (in apiin after it 

 li;is heen removed, to »ay notliinir of tlie delay and dilKeulty h liii'li 

 often occurs before it can be removed at all. 



STAND PIPE. 



Tor qpeiun.<| Fire CocJi 





Figure 1. 



FIRE COCK 



D 



Description. — The Patent Fire-cock consists of a cast-iron boss, 

 A, with aperture of such size as may be required, and flan^jje for 

 connectiiif^ it with a correspondinfj^ flange on brancli from main 

 pipe, as represented by dotted lines under fig. 1 — tlie u]iper inner 

 edge, a, of the boss being raised and faced, forms a seat for 

 tlie loose valve, B, covered with leather, the spindle of which works 

 in a brass bridge, C, and when not in use, is always closed. To the 

 boss are attached wrouglit-iron inverted ij-shapcd lugs, U, to which 

 the stand-pipe, when bripught into use, is secured. 



This stand-pipe consists of a co))per or iron tube II, with two 

 branches on the upper part I, furnished with screwed ends for 

 attaching the hose ; one or both of the orifices are also furnished 

 with a brass screw-cap K. At the connection of the diverging pipes 

 is a stuffing-bo.\ L, and at the bottom part of the staml-pipe 

 there is a brass male-screw G, with leather washer F, working 



through a lirass female-screwed collar E. This collar has pro- 

 jecting lugs, which passing under lugs D of the fire-cock, firmly 

 secure the lug together, and form a connection of the staud-pipe 

 with the fire-cock, perfectly water-tight. 



Passing down the stand-pipe, through the stuffing-box L, is a 

 wrought-iron rod, with brass crutch-handle at top, and a male- 

 screw at bottom, working through a brass female-screw in the 

 bridge G. By turning the crutch-handle M, the rod gradually 

 presses down the valve B, of the fire-cock, and allows the water 

 to esca])e all round the valve and up tlie stand-pipe ; and at the 

 same time by tlie gradual opening of the valve by the aid of the 

 rod and screw, the flow of water is controlled, and concussion in the 

 pipes ]irevented ; while at the same time the sudden strain on the 

 leather, or other hose which may be attached, is, to a very great 

 e.xtent, diminished. 



PADDLE-WHEELS. 



Thomas Hint Bakber, of King-street, Cheapside, London, gen- 

 tleman, for " Iinpriivement.s in machiiifry fur pr(ipi://iiiy vessels." — 

 Granted October 7, 1847 ; Enrolled April 7, 1848. 



This invention consists of an arrangement or combination of 

 parts into paddle-wheels for propelling vessels. The external case 

 of the wheel is a cylinder, which is fixed to and revohes with the 

 driving-axle; and the floats are so arranged within the cylinder, 

 as to be projected outwards when required to act, and are again 

 withdrawn into the cylinder as they go out of action ; such con- 

 struction of paddle-wheel allowing it to be wholly immersed in the 

 water. To govern the action of the floats, the patentee prefers to 

 use a cranked axis, one end of which enters into the main or 

 driving axle. On to the main-axle is placed a boss, to which arms 

 are attached, for holding firmly the floats. The annexed diagram, 

 which is a side-section of the paddle, will explain the manner in 



which the floats are intended to act. The cylinder i, b, has as 

 many slits or openings through it as there are floats to the wheel ; 

 and within the cylinder are angular hollow vessels y;/ which give 

 buoyancy to the wheel, aiul also serve for the purpose of oft'ering in- 

 clined guiding surfaces to the floats as they are moved outwards. 

 The arms/t, A, are attached by pin-joints to the boss or collar on 

 the crank axis ; and to the ends of the arms the floats are to be fixed. 

 The floats i, i, i, are represented to be in action, whilst the others 

 are drawn within the cylinder. The patentee says, that although 

 he prefers to use a cranked axis for governing the action of the 

 floats or paddles, it will be evident to an engineer that an eccen- 

 tric might be siibstituted and produce a like result ; and it will 

 also be evident that in place of having the floats or paddles whereon 

 are arms or spokes governed or controlled liy a crank or eccentric 

 axis, the case h, might revolve on and be governed by fixed eccen- 

 trics one on either side. In such case there would be a fixed axis 

 between the eccentric bearings of the case b. The nave having the 

 arms of the floats or paddles w(uild revolve freely on the fixed axis 

 between the fixed eccentrics, and the case b would receive motion 

 by a cog-wheel affixed thereto driven by another cog-wheel actuated 

 by the engine, or in any convenient maimer. 



What the ])atentee claims in this invention are, the modes of 

 constructing paddle-wheels whereby floats, or paddles, or arms 

 are combined with a case b, such floats on the case being governed 

 by a crank or eccentrics. 



